The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1887-11-23
A HORRIBLE DISEASE.
a Woman and a Little Girl from Brazil
Afflicted with LeProsy.

A Woman and a Little Girl from Brazil
Afflicted with LeProsy.
PHILADELPHIA, November 81 The tive
lepers, mother and daughter, about whom
there has been so much comment during
the past two weeks came into the Office Of
the Board OF Health, Saturday, Of their own
accord; and were sent cut TO the muuici-
pal hospital for contagious diseases in the
hospital ambulance. When the unfortu-
nate woman raised her vsii her face pre-
sented dreadful appearance. 1t looked
as though it had been scalded. The skin
was drawn and contracted an6 scanned with
wrinkles. The hands and arms, which she
displayed, were covered with q shiny skin
which was also cracked and sCansa.
The little girl, who is only about twelVs
years old, did not seem to be as bad as tbs
mother, although her face showed plainly
that she was suffering from some skin dis
ease. Beth mother and daughter were
neatly dressed, and the former seemed TO
fully realize the position which ehe wssf I'm.
The woman said that her name vas
Isabella Miranda, She declined to give
any definite information about her family.
The poor woman, however, told her stoAx
in general way, her voice choked som5ss
times by sobs and tears flowing from her
eyes. She is native of this country, and
about twenty years ago married natiYe.Of
Brazil. They lived here for ten years and
then went to Brazil, taking, the two chill
dren they then had with them. Sincs
that time they have lived in that country,
most of the time in Para. Tvoother chill
dren were born to them. The woman's
husband, who died several years ago, was
captain on boat that piled upand down
the Amazon, and the woman says that
whatever the nature OF the disease is with
which herself and daughter are afflicted.
she Is positive that it is the effect of
poison.
About four years ago they both ete OF q
Brazilian plant which is very poisonous.
In that country they have a root which
much resembles potato, but the effects
OF which on the human system are oeedly.
One of these roots was cooked by mistake
and the woman and her child partookso OF q
portion of the dish before the error was
discovered. They afterwards became sick.
The disease seemed to take a deeper ead
deeper hold, until finally they were re-
duced to such straits that it was deter
mined to send them both to this COM
try for medical treatment. They have rel
atives in this city, and to them they came
about two pears ago, and here they have
resided ever since. Mrs. Miranda says thsE
she has been under the care of DR.. W
Arlingen, bat was never told the exact
nature of her disease. She does not know
positively Just what it is. Her condition
and that of her child. she stated has much
improved since they have been here in
Philadelphia. and about three weeks ago
she determined to return to her home in
the city OF Para. She has two grown up
children down there, one of whom is a
young woman who is married, while the
other is boy of nineteen, who is learning
to be pilot. Her younges child, about
five years old is also there. All these are
perfectly heslthy, and have never dis
played any symptoms of the disease, 4
Mrs. Mirande lett this city and went to
New York, where she took passage on a
steamer for Brazil, but she did not know
the name of the vessel. Scarcely had they
got well out at sea when the ships physi-
clan found out what was the matter with
the two passengers, and the captain de-
termined to land them at the first oppor-
tunity. The vessel put in at Newport
News, and the sorely afflicted woman and
her little girl were obliged to dissmbark,
being told that, under the circumstances,
it would be impossible to put them ashore
in Brazilian port. She determined to
come back 20 this city, and arrived
at Broadsreet Station yesterday morn
ing. Heart-broken at not being being
permitted to 60 back to her home, filled
with misgiviDgs that she would not see -
other children any more, and knowing that
she had q disease, whatever it was, which
would cause all to shun her, she concluded
not to go back to her friends, but to letther
health authorities attend to her case. The
fact that lepsrs had been in this city was.
made known to the Board of Health on
November Z although they had probably
left at that time. DIR. Ford, who was then,
seen, gave il as his opinion that leprosy
was not contagious unless a person came
into actual contact with the sufferer OF
handled the clothing. In his report Of the
cases to the County Medical Society, DIR.
Van Arlingen says: "Leprosy is, in deed,
contagious in my belief, and in that OF the
msjority OF observers, but contagious in
slow and uncertain manner"